Chinese Internet Challenge

[abcdefg]

#19 -- Basil --

 

C: A commitment to investigate the Chinese web at least twice a week.

 

I'm good with doing this. What I'd like to try is reading the NY Times Chinese website, at least browsing a few of the front page stories. It seems uncluttered and manageable from a "graphics" standpoint. The vocabulary is above my comfort level, which is probably a good thing.

 

What I do with the Chinese internet currently is limited. I really don't like using it because so many of the websites are all trashed up with flashing lights, music, popups, banner ads and all manner of silly distractions. Terrible clutter and generally off-putting web design. So many websites look like they were created by 12 year old kids with ADD who forgot to take their meds.

 

But I do research my China travels on it to get local input. Lots of good information to be found on Chinese blogs; things that just cannot be found on the English-language internet. I go there for everything from bus schedules to travel tips, such as how best to get from such-and-such town to a scenic point 景点 nearby; what roads are under repair with delays and detours.

 

I also use the Chinese internet for recipes and information about cooking ingredients. I also use it for background searches on tea. I turn to the Chinese internet for more information on some news item I've quickly caught on Chinese TV, just glimpsed in passing. It is sometimes good for that and sometimes not, depending on whether the topic is perceived to be politically sensitive.

 

But I don't just "hang out" on the Chinese internet or idly "surf" it for fun. I don't find it "user friendly" -- though that could conceivably change if my skill improves. But at least it doesn't require using a VPN. And it's pretty fast for me at home in Kunming.

[Basil]

Welcome aboard abcdefg!

 

It seems like you are on the Chinese web more than I am already, so looking at the NY Times Chinese edition should just be moving up a gear.

 

I'm happy that I've found a way to declutter most article based Chinese sites. Should make things a lot easier.

 

There are two reasons, for me, to do this. First, I spend too much time on the English web, reading articles and comments and so on, the second is that I think that if I force myself to soak in Chinese content during my downtime/lazy time it might positively impact my Chinese level. I'm also hoping that at the end of the month, I won't be quite so clicky happy. Of course, the reverse might happen, I go back and I just gorge on English language content. All progression/regression will be tabulated in Chinese.

 

Doing a bit of flashing lights, music, popups, banner ads and all manner of silly distractions therapy with this site.

[Enoxus]

If you can understand written Chinese well,  news.sina.com.cn would be an everyday meal, at least for breakfast I guess. If you hate to read long news and articles, you may try weibo.com (Chinese version of Twitter). 

 

Or, you can tell something about your online interests, I might help to find you some appropriate sites. By the way, change your browser language setting into Chinese, it helps too.

 

If you can type Chinese, @ me when you're done with posting anything in Chinese, I'll be happy to talk to you, in written.

[winterpromise31]

I'm going to join in but I'm not sure how much of a commitment to make. I just finished my grammar course and need to dive into reading material written for native speakers. I've been trying to watch more Chinese tv lately instead of Korean (I like the Korean shows better). Let me think about it for a day or so and then I'll come back to post my commitment. I mostly read blogs and FB in English and could theoretically replace that with Chinese sites instead. 

[Basil]

Enoxus, 

 

I've got a ton of news sites to get through now. But I like reading geopolitics and related opinion articles most, I guess. 

 

winterpromise

 

Please join in, I will open a new thread tomoz, feel free to decide your level of commitment, A, B or C, and then post progress updates in Chinese on that thread. Don't worry if your written Chinese is crappy, I'm sure I'll be revealing my soft underbelly this coming month.

[Angelina]

I am in. Please, no politics, wars, and violence, I am recovering from what looks like a PTSD after a violent social media campaign in Macedonia. And no geopolitics!!!

[Angelina]

Here are some ideas, I listed some interesting WeChat accounts to follow.

http://www.chinese-forums.com/index.php?/topic/47319-what-are-your-favorite-websitesfbpagesetc/

[Basil]

I won't talk about my political opinions, no worries.

 

I've started the new thread here

[edelweis]

challenge=tiaozhan?

[Basil]

You're probably right, when I wrote this I checked the dictionary and it seemed to prefer using 挑战 as a verb.

 

I'll go with the consensus, I have no illusions about my written Chinese. Any suggestions to the opening post and I'll edit.

[edelweis]

Your Chinese is certainly better than mine, I just found the thread title slightly confusing at first sight. Anyway, it's no big deal.

[Basil]

Changed the name within the thread, cannot edit the title. Embiggened text size for readibility.

[imron]

cannot edit the title

I can, and have.

[winterpromise31]

I took a look at your new thread and it's definitely above my Chinese level. lol

 

B: Pure Chinese outside of work hours.

 

C: A commitment to investigate the Chinese web at least twice a week.

 

I want to join in somewhere between B and C. I don't want to commit to pure Chinese outside of work hours but I also want to study way more than just twice a week. I am thinking like 30 minutes a day of nothing but reading in Chinese. I'm already committed to daily flashcards (which right now take around 30 minutes to review) plus I'm posting on lang-8, reviewing all of the corrections made to my posts, and rewriting with the changes. 30 minutes a day of reading will push me over an hour of study per day which is a stretch for me but definitely doable. 

[Basil]

Cheers, Imron

[Basil]

winterpromise,

 

I'm happy to add a B.5, can you give me a one liner so I can easier edit the page, describing that new level.

 

The more feedback there is, the better.

 

In summary that page makes three requests, 

 

1. to announce which level you'd like to do.

2. to describe what you'd like to achieve.

3. drop in every few days to talk about your progress.

 

I'm sorry if the Chinese was too difficult, any ideas about how to make it simpler anyone?

[winterpromise31]

Hmmmm, how about...

B.5: minimum of 30 minutes daily immersion

 

I don't think there's anything wrong with what you posted. It's just above my reading abilities. Plus I'm learning traditional hanzi so I kind of muddle through simplified.

[Enoxus]

Here's an article about Rhyme in 快板:  http://www.368tea.com/html/168-5/5875.htm. Some tongue-twister examples are basic practice for professionals as well (like Stand Up or Stage drama performance).

The site is about tea, browsing it might kill a day a two. 

[Basil]

Changed, new levels as follows:

 

A：全面浸泡：六月份时只允许浏览中文的资料。无论任何理由都禁止参观任何非中文网站及资料，也含社交、视频等资源。

B：部分浸泡：工作和学习的需要外只浏览中文网站。

C: 日日浸泡：每天至少浏览30分钟中文互联网。

D：浸泡脚趾：以参与者的能力和兴趣度去下决心增加自己的中文网站的浏览量与减少其他语言的浏览量。

[Basil]

The sun has set, night has fallen. The challenge begins shortly...

 

I will remain on the other thread, spouting nonsense in Chinese hopefully for the entirety of June.